


A helping hand

by anathemadebice



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Bofur is a Sweetheart, Bofur is also a soft idiot, First Meetings, M/M, Nori is a Little Shit, Nori is a soft idiot, duality of dwarf, is this in character? probably not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-26 18:27:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20746745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anathemadebice/pseuds/anathemadebice





	A helping hand

Nori's feet pounded hard against the floor, breath fast and eyes bright as he ran away from the guards. He took another corner, an easy smile taking over his face when he heard the other dwarves curse as they tripped and slammed against walls, too big to keep up with his sharp turns. He ran faster, trying to use the serpentine halls to his advantage, taking corners seemingly at random, when he recognised this part of the mountain.   
The mines would be empty now, it was too late for anyone to be there.   
As he turned left on the last hall before the entrance of the only mine he knew was closed (and honestly, picking locks was second nature at this point), he ran into something… Well, compact was the best way to put it. The force of it knocked him back so hard that, as he fell down, he wondered if he had ran into a wall. But-  
He quickly second guessed that when strong arms wrapped around his waist, big hands moving to support his back so fast that it must have been instinct guiding them, his own hands shooting forward, trying to gain purchase on something. Just as he was wrapping his arms around whatever it was, he started processing what was going on.   
His eyes flew open, and he immediately froze, pinned in place by dark eyes blown wide in surprise. Dark eyes that were. Very close. Because what Nori's arms had wrapped themselves around was the other dwarf's neck.  
They stood in place, in a sort of inelegant dip, staring at each other in astonishment, when the loud sounds of the guards running towards them shook Nori out of his bewilderment. His eyes widened further in panic, noticing that if this dwarf wanted to hold him in place until the guards came, he very much could. The dwarf in question looked at him, at the hall, then back at him, and then his eyes wandered up to his hair, a spark of recognition in them. He looked back down at his eyes, frowning for a minute before adopting a determined expression. Nori paled at it, but before he could even say or do anything, the miner (he assumed) straightened them both up quickly, took off his big hat, shoved it on Nori's head until his hair was mostly hidden, and pushed Nori forcefully -though not unkindly- towards the mines. Nori stared in shock from the mine as the other made a hand movement that clearly meant to duck down, raised a finger to his lips and shushed him softly.   
For some reason, the copper haired thief obeyed.   
From his hiding place he could barely see what was going on, but he heard the guards stop, panting and cursing what sounded suspiciously like his name.  
"Bofur!" one of them screamed.  
"Good evening, fellas. Everything alright?" his voice was perfectly even.   
Someone grunted.   
"Have you seen a dwarf around here? About this tall, running like orc were on his tail?"  
"Oh! Big red hair, sorta like a star?"   
Nori's heart stopped. He held his breath. To the affirmative grunt of the guard, he saw Bofur pointing… To the hall that was the furthest away from him?   
"He ran that way, looked mighty stressed if you ask me."   
Nori waited, eyes wide as the guards' steps got quieter and quieter, until he couldn't hear them anymore. He was debating whether or not he should come out when he heard Bofur sigh, tension leaving his shoulders.   
"I would like my hat back, if you don't mind."  
Nori scrambled out under Bofur's watchful eyes, full of mirth for some reason. Nori cursed himself, what was UP with him? He took off the hat, tossing it to its rightful owner, who caught it and put it on so smoothly that it made Nori's mind go blank again.   
Just as Nori tried, once more, to get himself under control, his apparent saviour smiled brightly, eyes scrunching up at the corners.   
And wow, everyone was wrong, you COULD see the sun down here, too.   
"You owe me" Bofur said, winking at him, and turning on his heel to leave.   
Nori stood there, heart beating fast and knees shaking, not knowing what to say or even how to react to this weird dwarf who risked his own neck for him, some criminal he didn't even know. Right before he turned the corner, the miner looked over his shoulder, a faint dusting of pink on his face.   
"Nice earrings, by the way"   
And oh. Oh. Oh, Nori was screwed.


End file.
